One of those megatrends is something I’ve been talking about for a while — The War Cycle. And one of the conflicts that keeps churning is the new U.S.-China Cold War.

We’ve talked about the first front, the Trade War, and the second front, the Tech War. Now, let’s dive into the third front: The Geopolitical War.

On Monday, the U.S. announced it was expelling two Chinese diplomats who drove onto a military base “by mistake.” The Chinese diplomats insisted they simply “got lost.”

Uh-huh. One was clearly an undercover intelligence officer, according to reports.

It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last. Heck, in November, a Chinese woman, Yujing Zhang, was convicted of trespassing at Mar-a-Lago, President Trump’s “Southern White House.”

What was she doing there? She said she was there to use the pool … even though she wasn’t carrying a bathing suit. Then she said she was there for a UN event … even though no event was scheduled. But she was carrying a thumb drive full of malware. Exactly what you would want in your pocket if you were trying to steal state secrets.

All countries spy on each other, right? Well, it turns out nobody is busy spreading their spies and influence through diplomacy like the Chinese.

In fact, China now has the largest diplomatic network in the world, overtaking the U.S. by three posts with 276 in total.

And while they’re roughly equal in terms of embassies, China is unmatched in its number of consulates, with 96 compared with the U.S.’ 88.

Bonnie Bley, lead research fellow of the report, explains why this is significant:

Unlike Embassies, which often have a political function, consulates primarily facilitate economic cooperation between countries. This may suggest that China’s diplomatic network — and its emphasis on consulates — is partly geared toward facilitating China’s BRI.

But the “Belt and Road” has a dual purpose. It also serves to expand Chinese power in its Geopolitical War against the West, and the U.S. in particular.

It’s all in line with China’s ancient “secret code” that says, “Encircle the naïve, trusting power” …

… and patterned after the Chinese game of wei qi:

Entice your opponent by opening up new positions while encircling him … hoping he won’t notice your real strategy.

China is countering America’s global alliance so avoid alerting us that an alternative alliance is being created.

It’s the “imperial excuse” — imperialism under the pretense of economic development — just like the British and Dutch East India “Companies” of 400 years ago.

Founded under a Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth I in 1600, the British East India Company (EIC) — along with its Dutch counterpart a few years later — is often seen as the first multinational corporation. But its intent was far more political than corporate.

The EIC was formed to gain naval and colonial supremacy over the Dutch, French and Portuguese.

In fact, from the 18th to the 20th century, the British Empire became the largest in history, with colonies in Africa, Asia, Europe, America and scores of islands in every ocean. At any one time there was daylight in at least one of its territories. Hence it was known as “The Empire on which the sun never sets”.

It excused its existence by touting the benefits of British civilization and culture. Just as the Chinese are doing now with its Belt and Road Initiative …

China’s “superior” at the top … with other civilizations — like America — as part of the “barbarian wilderness.”

China is to “improve” all nations by “harmonizing” them — spreading Chinese values so they fit into the new world order.

What are these values?

“Order over freedom” and “elite governance over democracy and human rights.”

Admiral Harry Harris, former commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, says this:

A lot has happened in the decades since the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union dissolved…

Our 27-year holiday from history is over. Great power competition is back … and I believe we’re approaching an inflection point…

Freedom and justice hang in the balance. A geopolitical competition between free and repressive visions of world order is taking place in the Indo-Pacific.

But “The China Dream” far exceeds that of their Dutch and British forebears. The goal of China’s 100-Year Marathon is to become the greatest empire in the history of mankind …

… by the centennial of the Chinese Communist Revolution, in 2049.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative is one part of a holistic strategy. The goal is to ensnare participant nations in “debt traps” … like the one Sri Lanka found itself in as it developed the strategically located Hambantota port. (Sri Lanka was compelled to take on huge loans for its construction, with its 99-year lease held by a Chinese state-controlled firm, of course).

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is another program to justify Beijing’s “investments,” such as the port at Gwadar — potentially a major naval base for China.

There are a host of other instances, from Latin America to Polynesia.

Because indebtedness provides a broad avenue for Chinese influence and control over their new global empire!